The I'm Tired, I'm Cranky & I'm Watching Project Runway Vegetarian Taco Recipe

7/29/2011

Ahhhh, the beginnings of Vegetarian Tacos.

Okay, FINE. So I wasn't assisting in moving our kid's apartment full of furniture late last night.

So I wasn't sweating in the heat and humidity moving couches and mattresses and tables down three flights of stairs, dodging all the other kids and parents moving couches and mattresses and tables down three flights of stairs, AFTER already putting in a grueling 12 hour day.

Instead, I was attempting to entertain myself with the new season of Project Runway in our window air-conditioned farmhouse on a steamy, humid Iowa night.

And then the phone rang. Tim's calling while he's moving something heavy. At 9pm at night. "What's to eat for supper?" he asks.

"Really?" I say, clearly agitated that I'm missing earth shattering television viewing. "Well, whatever isn't molding in the fridge I guess," I say with all sincerity.

He seems dejected. And hot. And sweaty.

So being the fine, giving person that I am (cough, cough), I say, "FINE, I'll think of someTHING."

Tim immediately perks up and says, "Sounds good."

I look in my seriously-needs-badly-to-be-restocked pantry and fridge and come up with an old standby....I seriously can't believe I have all the ingredients on hand for this dish this late at night. This is a really yummy, healthy meal that can easily be switched up with your own styling and tastes.

Vegetarian Tacos
Quick, Tasty and Super Healthy

Ingredients
3 cups cooked brown rice, cooked in vegetable broth
1 yellow onion, sliced in half moons
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
salt and pepper
corn tortillas
olive oil
sour cream
sliced olives
diced tomatoes
shredded pepper jack cheese
avocado slices

Directions
1. Cook brown rice using vegetable broth in place of the water
2. Preheat olive oil in a skillet on medium high setting. Begin to saute green pepper, red pepper, onion and poblano pepper. Saute for 10-15 minutes until soft.
3. In a separate small sauce pan, saute chopped garlic over medium heat for a few minutes, (do not burn). Add the rinsed and drained can of black beans. Simmer over low medium heat a few minutes, until heated. Fold beans into the rice mixture.
4. Check the sauteed vegetables. They should be soft and the onions should be translucent. Salt and pepper according to taste. (I used coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper this time and it made a world of difference.)
5. Combine rice and bean mixture into the the sauteed vegetable mixture in the skillet. Keep warm on medium-low heat.
6. Using a small skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Once the oil is crackling, put one tortilla at a time in the oil and warm a couple seconds each side just enough to make the tortilla pliable. Remove and lay in between paper towels. Repeat procedure with each tortilla, add more oil as needed.
7. Scoop rice mixture into the tortilla shells. Top with sour cream, sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, and shredded pepper jack cheese.
Garnish with an avocado slice

Serves 4-6

Pictures of my cooking process below.....Note all the close-up pictures. I figured out the closer up the picture, the less messy the counters and stove look. Hehehehehe......